Technical Abstract:
Captures of male codling moths in traps have been used effectively to establish action thresholds and to time control actions. Lures with higher loads are used to monitor populations in pheromone-treated orchards. Historically, red rubber septa have been used as the substrate for both the regular and high load lures, but sulphur-cured rubber is a poor substrate for codling moth's pheromone and lures must be replaced every 2-3 weeks. Fortunately, new, long-lived lures have been developed and were tested this summer. Our data showed that the new Super Lure (Pherotech) and Mega Lure(Trece) are both effective for 10 weeks during the first moth flight. During the second flight, however, the attractiveness of the Superlure dropped after 4 weeks while the Megalure was effective for 10 weeks. A second problem with the current monitoring program with codling moth is that we are forced to make assumptions about the timing and magnitude of the emergence, mating, and oviposition of female moths based on captures of the opposite sex. Efforts to monitor female moths with interception, light, or bait traps have been made but none of these methods is as easy, specific, and inexpensive as the use of sex pheromone-baited traps. Thus these sampling methods are generally not used. A new lure that is attractive to both sexes may improve our use of traps for timing spray applications and to establish active thresholds.